Of the many spinal surgeries performed in the United States each year, pedicle screw fixation is one of the more common surgical techniques used to stabilize the spine for patients with spinal fracture, and degenerative or scoliotic deformities. The effectiveness of pedicle screws is dependent, at least in part, upon the accuracy of their placement. In spite of their effectiveness in the cervical spine, the use of pedicle screws is limited due to the difficulty in placing the screws. The difficulty in placing the screws is accentuated by the flexibility of the cervical spine. Additionally, during placement, the heads of pedicle screws may become stripped, thereby making removal of the screw difficult.